Life of Fred Math and First Form Latin

I have been thinking about math...for the kids...lately. Fox hates math (not doing math, because he is good at it, but the workbooks that we have been using) and it turns into such an ordeal to make him do it. Lee isn't having a problem with doing it although she does agree with him that the workbooks are, ahem, retarded. I have heard a lot of good things about Life of Fred books. Today I ventured to the site to check them out...again. You can find out about LoF books at Polka Dot Publishing and can purchase them from Z-Twist Books. I decided to order two of the books (Decimals & Percents and PreAlgebra 1 with Biology). There are no shipping charges unless you want your books faster than the free shipping will get it to you. I am excited to get them.

I also was looking at Latin for them. We are working on Spanish (German & Japanese on the side a bit also but not too strenuously) for this year and will continue with it because I personally feel it is very important. We wanted to do French but honestly, I just do not see that happening. They would need to take an outside class for that! I have tried to learn French myself and I found it very difficult. However, being that Latin is the root of our language- and others- I felt it would be good to pursue that course. I hadn't bookmarked any of the great sites that others have recommended that they have used...and now I wish I had. I went on a search for forums and such that had posted recommendations and came across Prima Latina from Memoria Press. I have heard many good things about this particular course/publisher so I did some comparing. My dc are both going to be in middle school next year (oh my! where has the time gone!) and I felt that starting at the very lowest level may not be the best. I want them to be challenged but at the same time not too much. I checked Latina Christiana but decided to go with First Form instead because it specifies that it is for grades 5 and up.

So that has been my day. I was pouring over these things for hours, trying to decide. I also have saved Ray's Arithmetic books (can find these in the links page, under Math) that I would like to use.

Review: TOS Help, Lord, I'm Getting Ready to Start Homeschooling My High Schooler Ebook

Here is a review for The Old Schoolhouse Magazine's ebook Help, Lord, I'm Getting Ready to Start Homeschooling My High Schooler! Appropriately titled, this ebook is written for homeschooling parents that are getting ready for the high school years with their homeschooled children. This can be found at the TOS Store for $12.45

Are you ready to homeschool your high schooler? I'm not! Honestly, I have only been thinking randomly and in brief moments that I will have a high school student very soon. It seems so daunting that I think I have put it in that place in my mind where things aren't allowed to be thought about unless I specifically (or unexpectedly!) am wanting to think about them. And then I received this great gem to review.

The page count totals 122 (including cover, front matter and back cover). With homeschooling and attending college part time, I was a little worried I would not find the time to read it. I am glad I made the time. Homeschooling veterans have taken the time to write to us that are approaching high school years to offer encouragement through writing about their experiences. They give us insights into things that worked and things that didn't. There are also contributions from those who were homeschooled and now homeschool their children. With an introduction from Amanda Bennett and closing by Deborah Wuehler, this ebook is good, from start to finish.

An important recurring theme that I noticed is the reliance on God for directing the path of these homeschoolers. Every one of these authors talks about their experiences and not one says it was all peaches and cream. I especially appreciated Christie Inocencio's remark that many homeschoolers who send their children to public school during junior and high school years do so because they do not feel qualified to teach their children. But as can be seen by the many parents who have relied on God to direct them perhaps did not feel qualified either. We have these testimonies, however, to show that it is possible. We can turn first to God, then to other sources for those subjects or skills that we do not feel able to teach. It can be done. As Lynn Fote states, "real life experiences and responsibilities are the best instructors."

Another recurring point I have gathered from each of the writers is the fact that each child is different. It would seem we would know this, homeschooling our children, being with them almost constantly. We would realize they have different styles of learning and personalities. But I also think it is very easy to fall into the habit of comparing how one child did something and thinking the same will work for the other. In some cases, yes, this is true. But not always. I really appreciated Ladonna Beals accounts of her children's learning, not just in high school but before as well. Also, Regenia Spoerndle helps point this out when she talks about the difference between her two daughters; they are as different as night and day. PeggySue Wells helps us focus on these differences and how our children aren't little gingerbread men pressed from the same cookie cutter. As homeschoolers we get to choose what we use for our curriculum because what works for one child may not work for another.

I found this ebook to be very very encouraging. I am coming up on the high school years very quickly and like many in my place, I am a little worried that I cannot do it. Included at the end of this ebook is a very helpful section on recommended resources from the contributing authors and also TOS' resource list with a lot of wonderful websites. I would highly recommend this book to anyone that is contemplating continuing homeschooling in the high school years. You will be encouraged and enlightened.

Quick Post

Link to a movie coming out this Fall. Lee read the books a few years ago and now they are making a movie.

Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole

Lee is already planning on seeing it with her b-day money... let's hope she gets some $ ;) lol

It's going to be slow on the blogging world this week...

My classes started again...already. And I need to buckle down with the kids' school. We have been, ahem, slacking on a few subjects. I also have a couple reviews to get typed up for TOS (I'm a hopeful wannabe reviewer :) )

It is my aim to update the blog probably once or twice this week. But I hope to be not on here the rest of the time... so that way I should get my other stuff done.

Review: Molly’s Money-Saving Digest

I had the chance to review my first ever Molly’s Money-Saving Digest. What a great opportunity! I have often thought about purchasing one but well, never have. Sometimes it takes seeing or trying it before you buy to make that final decision. You can find Molly’s Money-Saving Digest at The Old Schoolhouse Store for $4.95. Since this is my first exposure to Molly's Money-Saving Digest I really didn't know what to expect.

The issue being reviewed was January 2010, Evaluate, Prioritize, Organize. Being January and a time for resolutions, I thought the title fitting. Molly helps us to put into perspective what we need in our life, and what we don't.

The issue begins with a note from Molly giving a heads up on what to expect in the issue. It promises to be full of tips and ideas to help us evaluate, prioritize and organize.

It starts right off with a great recipes and simple instructions from Mrs. Martha Greene on how to make pies, crust and all, at home. The recipes can be made by any age, some with more help than others. The story that goes along with the recipes is a great one and funny at times. I particularly found it helpful with the tips for getting pie crust from counter top to pie pan- without it falling apart! The other recipes include summer pie with Minute Tapioca (not as bad as you might think), German Chocolate Pie, strawberry pie, and tips for making turnovers or mini pies.

True to the title of money-saving, next can be found a list of things to look for after Christmas that are on sale or at great deals. Also included are some 'special' dates. In our house, family members' and friends' birthdays, and major holidays are marked on the calendar so we miss some of the obscure days...like Dress up Your Pet Day (January 14th) or Chocolate Cake Day (January 31st). That last one may become a holiday every year for our family!

Very appreciated were the printable forms included in the digest. I personally have been thinking about my budget (lack of one) and Molly's forms come at a great time for me. The first form, Monthly Bills, includes just about anything that you can think of to spend your money on. We don't have some of the expenses that are listed in our household so those I simply crossed off with a pen. Based on the Monthly Bills form, a budget can be figured out. The 'actually spent' forms were wonderful! I am in need of organization skills and keeping receipts or track of my spending sometimes is haphazard, at best. Since this form is simply for one week at a time, it was easy for me to keep track of my actual spending. Other forms included are a handy monthly calendar, daily to-do list, and family clothing inventory sheet. I haven't used these last three forms but can definitely see them being put to use in the near future.

I loved, yes, loved the bits about decorating frugally! I have been looking for how-to's for decorating with framed phrases, pictures, and mottos for a while now. For some reason, I have not been able to bring this out of my own mind based solely on other people's photos of what they've done. I need it in writing, with pictures too.

The one that I would really like to try myself (working on acquiring the supplies as I speak) is the photo on canvas. We have quite a few photographs of places that we have gone and would like to display them in our home. Molly's tutorial on applying the picture to canvas with adhesive and finishing with decoupage is very well done. The pictures supplied are clear and informative. The inclusion of the price was great, too. Later in the digest there is another feature about using personal photos for decorating. It looks great as well.

After these wonderful tidbits, Molly includes a Kid's Corner with a craft, helpful tips and suggestions for opening a checking account (yes, I did say checking) and reproducible 'checks' and a register for teens to practice with for when they have the real thing. The checking account is a little beyond the ages of my children but the register and 'checks' are perfect for teaching how to actually use them.

Near the end of the digest is where Molly gets into Evaluate, Prioritize, Organize. The information is useful and it is easily separated into Time, Money and "Stuff". Each heading includes tips on how to more effectively evaluate, prioritize and organize your time, money, and "stuff". Another great and helpful feature is the inclusion of links to sites (either Econobusters or others) that will be of use to those trying to implement the suggestions. I really like how it points back to the printables included in the digest to better be able to carry out the suggestions. Much better than saying use a blank form that has to be tracked down from some other source, or made up by oneself. It is included in the digest for ease of use.

Before closing the digest, there are two more features- This Is My Story by Amy Howard and From My Mailbox. Both of these are very encouraging. Amy Howard lets us into a bit of her life and how being frugal has been a blessing worth far more than she would have anticipated. The notes From My Mailbox include different readers tips or suggestions for more money saving ideas. Ending the digest is a list of links that were provided throughout the digest. This makes is really easy to locate a site that you know you saw in a certain section of the digest but are not sure just where exactly. The links are listed in order as they appear. Talk about organized ;)

The one and only complaint I have about this digest is that the information pertaining to evaluate, prioritize and organize (the actual 'article' I suppose) was listed after all the other useful information and tidbits. I thought it might be better put before or after the reproducibles.

This was a great money saving digest and I would definitely recommend it to others. The pie recipes, free printables, and decorating tips alone are worth the cost, in my opinion.

Mini greenhouses

My mini greenhouses. Tomato & broccoli. Hope it turns out ok. We used dirt from the garden & water. Planted carrot, radish, beet & cucumber seeds in the garden. Hope the cats stay out!

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Picture of my granola

Yummy granola. I put it in an empty oatmeal container after it was cooled down. Yum yum.

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On the sidebar...just a side note.

I am trying to put more/less on the sidebar on my blog. It annoys me that I cannot have it on both sides. That would make it easier to see all the links and not have to scroll down and down and down...I think I would have to change my template in order to do that. Although, I do know some people are talented enough to do it themselves without changing the template. Anyway..

I put a link to my old blog on homeschoolblogger on the upper right. The reason I included a link to that blog, which I very rarely update, is because it does have some links and posts that I think might be interesting to others, and myself at times. So it is over there on the right.
I also included a link to my Speaking of History blog, which I started not too long ago. That blog will not have much activity, I don't anticipate. It is for when something strikes my fancy that has to do with history. It isn't necessarily going to be my opinion on things but rather it will look at events/people/topics in a historical perspective. At least I hope that will happen. I don't want to mix my opinions or views with it but it may happen sometimes... Also that blog has two pages right now that deals exclusively with my family's ancestry. Morris Family Tree & Anderson Family Tree.

How to make plaster for substituting Plaster of Paris

In the kids' science this week (maybe two or three weeks at the rate we are going!) they are learning (relearning) about dinosaurs- fossils more specifically. I am still using the LIFEPACs for Science, Language Arts and Math. I look through the workbooks to see what will be needed for the experiments in Science and this workbook finally has experiments that we can do with minimal purchased items. Except for the plaster of paris (POP). But at the same time, I know there is the little warning about cancer causing properties in the POP.

I found this site on how to make simple plaster mixture that you use like POP. Sounds simple enough and I have all the ingredients needed. If you search for how to make plaster, you come up with many different sites.

It's nice when it comes together so easily. We are going to make 'fossils' but I am guessing our fossils will be interesting specimens.

Budgeting..because I just don't know where I put my money!

Oh, gee... I have been thinking lately about how I budget (or rather don't) my money. There are certain things I pay for a month (internet, cell phone, netflix, ancestry.com, sponsoring a child in Africa, daughter's ballet class) and also grocery buying. But I have a limited amount of money to pay for those things. As a matter of fact I couldn't pay for dd's ballet this month. What a horrible feeling...going to tell her teacher that I couldn't pay. I don't want to take her out and am so grateful that her teacher said "don't worry about it. We have an anonymous donor that I think will take care of her the rest of the year." Such a relief! But at the same time: I should have the money for that!

I have decided that I will keep track of what I spend and on what. I want to see exactly where my money goes to because I think there should be enough for all the things that I have committed myself to pay for.

I was taught how to do budget in high school and have occasionally put it into practice as an adult but honestly not very often. In our household, dh pays for and keeps track of all the major payments and bills. I only have responsibility for a few things and many of those are the things that I myself want and could most likely live without.

I am not going to go looking for a budgeting how-to, because I know how to do it. Now, if I could just find something that would make me do it, that would be marvelously helpful ;) I will probably just use an excel sheet to keep track of things. It will be somewhat difficult because I don't usually keep receipts (it's like pennies, I don't like carrying them around although they are beneficial!). That is something to work on.

I think to start with I will list all the recurring bills/payments that go out each month. Then I will try to estimate what I spend on other things (such as my beloved coffee, dc's occasional toy/treat, randomness that steals my money). Of course, I am thinking my estimations will be off by far from the true amounts and so I will need to start to keep those receipts.

So much fun... imagine if I were to stop buying the coffee drinks and cremosas, stop buying frivolous items that are used just once and left on a shelf (or given to Goodwill within a short time). Imagine how much money I will recapture (because it isn't saving it...it's just not spending it). I could put that to better use...such as buying healthier food for the family, buying the plants/seeds for my garden that I can't at the moment (because, I am sure, I spent too much on the coffee/cremosa drinks this month) or just for things that are needed here and there, like new pants for either of my kids. Or even a special treat like a trip to the zoo (I can't afford that either right now but I think I should be able to).

It will mean sacrifice though. Mostly on my part...perhaps some on the kids' part. Oh, I know of one sacrifice that I will gladly make: the morning headache I have from the caffeine!

Prayer Request...for a friend on the web

Please take some time today to pray for Trish and her family. Her son, Luke, has a severe infection in his eye socket. Here is the link to her post. Please keep them in your prayers.

Easter...

I started to write about Easter (I think) in another post but got distracted or sidetracked and didn't finish it or didn't get to the point I had in my head.

I'm not going to finish that post here and now because well, I haven't researched it enough to have come up with anything new/interesting. Well, wait, I did come up with something interesting to me. I found it at Silvia's blog Homeschooling in a Bilingual Home. It's about Easter. I don't go over there that often because there are so many pages on the world wide web that many just get lost in the shuffle, but I have found many useful bits and pieces at her blog. This one, I found to be very interesting. I rather liked it...

Almond Granola

I made some yummy cereal bars yesterday (oh, those were gone FAST). Today I was itching to make something else so I went back to the Provential Ruralite's blog to find the link to where she got the recipe from and jackpot! I found something else I could make!

I picked the very first recipe on the page: granola. I have made granola before and here is the recipe I usually follow *3rd post down* (did I say follow? I meant start-off-with-and-change-so-drastically-as-to-be-something-completely-different-in-the-end lol). Since I have used that one before with great results I do what I usually do when things are going so well- I change lol.

Here is the new recipe I decided to tweak use:

Preheat oven to 250.

Combine 2 cups whole wheat flour

6 cups rolled oats
2 cups coconut
Blend together seperately
1/2 cup water
1 cup oil
1 cup honey
2 tsp vanilla
1 TBSP salt
Add wet to dry and mix thoroughly. Spread out onto 2 greased cookie sheets and bake until golden which is about an hour. You want it to be dry and crumbly. Break it up and store into containers.

And here is what I actually did:

Combined:

2 cups whole wheat flour

6 cups oats (2 cups quick, 4 cups old fashioned)

1/2 cup wheat germ

1/4 cup flax seed meal

1/4 cup soy flour

1 cup coconut flour

about 1/2 cup sliced almonds (I crushed them up in the package before adding them)

about 1 1/2 tsp allspice (I just love allspice!)

Mixed in separate bowl:

1/2 cup water

1 cup honey

1 cup oil

1/2 -3/4 tsp almond extract

1 tsp salt

Mixed all together (eventually). Spooned about half onto a large cookie sheet and cooked it for 1 hour and 25 minutes at 250*F Every so often I would take it out and stir it or break up the big chunks.

This is the first time I have made granola that looks like granola. You know like you buy in the store. It always seemed to me to have a pretty look to it (not like the 'burnt' look mine usually gets..); it's a light golden brown color. Too bad I do not have a camera!

We (the kids and I) tasted a couple chunks of it after it was fresh out of the oven and thought it was very tasty. I think that once it is cool and with milk, it will taste even better!

Molly & McGee Day!

Wow, today is Molly & McGee Day!! Who's Molly & McGee? They are the barn owls being followed live in San Marcos, CA. Here is a page with more information about Molly & McGee.

By now there are three owlettes named Max, Pattison, and Austin. The mayor of San Marcos commissioned today, March 25th, 2010, as Molly & McGee Day. Check out the live webcam with Molly (and sometimes McGee) here.

WARNING: Watching the live webcam may result in "MOD" -Molly Obsessive Disorder! You'll be hooked! We have the site up so we can click on it sporadically to check on Molly and her owlettes. I think Lee would stay in front of the computer all day/night watching if she were allowed...

Note: at the top of the Sportman's Paradise Online website there are other live webcam links to other animals such as the Bald Eagle, Liberty. Check them out!

It's official...

I WANT A KINDLE!!!! I so want one...really really bad!

Okay, that's my announcement for the day!

Here's what a Kindle is... aka eReader...?

Amazon Kindle

Health Care Reform Bill

On my Facebook page this morning I was greeted by a video of Cafferty (and I honestly do not know who that is...but he obviously has some clout with the political/televised world) bashing Obama's tactics for Health Care Reform and secrecy passing it.

I tried (not too diligently, I might add) to find the video to put on my blog but didn't find it. Either way, the gist of it was that Obama is being secret ("informal"). He continues to counter that Obama's campaign comments of keeping it all out in the open were simply for election purposes. Cafferty then goes on to bash Nancy Pelosi, who I have no idea who is. Wow, I feel so left out of the loop! But then, it's difficult to follow all the political nonsense anyway (with so-and-so disliking so-and-so because of such-and-such proposal that is unfair to the whos-and-whatsits and government is TAKING OVER! all that nonsense).

Now, I don't know much about the health care reform bill and I admit that I probably should. It has all been rather confusing to me. I personally am for a national health care program, such as can be found in Sweden or Britain or Canada. I feel that, as a society, it is the responsibility of everyone to care for every one else. The taxes that working people would pay for the health care would provide care for those who cannot work (such as the young, elderly, severely handicapped and ill). Like I said, I do not know the details of the Obama health care deal so I can't say it's good, bad, or ugly.

I haven't, however, spoken to one person who feels that his proposed health care is a good thing. But, not one of those people have given me a specific detail as to why it is bad. I suppose I will just have to try to keep up a bit better so that I might have an idea as to what's going on.

The video, though, if you can find it, was aired on CNN, and has some interesting language. I say interesting but it's not like there was profanity. It just didn't seem like a normal newscaster's speech. It's been so long since I have watched the news and such so I was a bit surprised to hear how he talked- on public television. But then I was shocked, beyond words, when I watched President Obama make a statement, on national television, and he wasn't wearing a ... tie. Perhaps I'm a bit old fashioned in this respect, eh? I don't know.

Cereal Bars...yummy!

Yummy cereal bars! I got the recipe from The Provential Ruralite on blogger. She got them from another site. These are so good! If you are watching your sugar intake or wheat, these won't be good for you! All others I highly recommend them!

Weekly Barden Newsletter-Issue 10

Weekly Barden Issue 10 is posted on the Newsletter page... and a day early!

Lego Design of the Week: ME12 Drilling Reaper

ME12 Drilling Reaper. Fox's latest lego design.

Reflecting...again

About a week ago I had posted about my conundrum with the church we attend. I haven't stopped going. We did go to the evening service that day but missed Wednesday night. This past Sunday we went to both morning and evening service.

The morning service had a lot of visitors to the church that I was happy to see. Attendance to church has been waning for almost a year now. I had thought that perhaps I was having issues with there not being very many people attending the church and that is why I was feeling that it wasn't the right place for us. But I don't think that is it.

As I listened (as I usually do) to the Pastor talk on this past Sunday morning, I began to see that the problem may not be with the church but with me. I know that I am not perfect but it may have been that I was putting the blame elsewhere for my reservations with church. There isn't anything wrong with the church, or the pastor, or the messages given. It is me.

Our church has only 4 families (not including Pastor and his wife) that attend on a regular basis. I do include our family in that number although we miss Wednesday nights quite often. There are three families with children (including our family). There is not a children's program besides Sunday school. Right now there are only two boys (ages 12 and 10) and five girls (ages 13, 9, 6, 5, & 4). The three younger girls go with Miss Erma (Pastor's wife) for Sunday school, while the 13 and 9 year old girls go with Miss Hannah (Pastor's daughter in law). The two boys alternate between Pastor and Brother Jacob (Pastor's son) for their Sunday school lesson. Every other Sunday we have Q & A Sunday for adult Sunday school, which I appreciate. The other Sunday, Pastor gives a talk.

The church is Independent Baptist. They do not condone drinking and feel that women should wear skirts or dresses at all times. They believe in the Trinity and that Jesus died on the cross to atone for mankind's sin. They believe that the Bible (specifically the KJV) is the infallible word of God. They do not condone same gender marriage and are also very conservative in a political sense. Although the Pastor's political views are not pushed, it is easy to see where they (the church in general) stand on political issues. They believe that tattoos and piercings are wrong as well as smoking or overeating, because it is destroying the body that God supplied and should be kept well. Although I honestly do not know all that the church believes, this is what I have gathered from going for over a year. What is wrong with those views? Nothing that I can see. I do have trouble with the Trinity and that Jesus died on a literal cross. I do not have a problem with the other views of the church. Oh, I do not wear skirts/dresses all the time, nor do I see the need to...and tattoos are not a problem for me either... I think those issues (like how to wear ones hair perhaps) are issues between God and the person.

My daughter attends a youth group at a local Presbyterian Church, and my son will also be attending in the fall, on Sunday evenings instead of going to evening service at our church. The Pastor did tell my son that it is a 'betrayal' to our church for her (and eventually him) to go to the other church when there is service at our church. I disagree with this and it bothers me a little that the Pastor would tell my child that. But I don't think that is enough of a reason to make me feel that the church is not the right place for us. Fortunately, my children have an open communication with me and they know I will not just fly off the handle when they tell me something. I like to explain things when I am telling them how I feel or what I think. I think that it helps them with their ability to think about what others say and not just take it as a fact. I would like to see more involvement with the community through our church but I don't see that happening. Right now there is a ministry at one of the local assisted living centers and they would like to start a Sunday school ministry where they are able to actually pick the kids up and bring them to the church on Sundays. That is something that would be good to have happen.

So, what is my problem? And why do I say, now, that it is me and not the church itself? I wonder if it isn't my own lack of commitment and involvement with the church that bothers me. I'm a bit (okay, a lot) of an introvert; I am fairly shy and do not like to stick my neck out. I notice things that I would like to happen or I think I could help with but do not offer my ideas or help because I worry that I will mess up or that my ideas or offers of help will be rejected. Perhaps it is a self-esteem issue, who knows. I have begun to volunteer at the local library's used book sale (which I love) and that has helped with my confidence in the 'putting myself out there' bit.

Pastor has talked more than once on committing to do something for the Lord. I have often thought of this but feel inadequate. Quite inadequate. But it is tugging at me more and more. I can't really expect it all to just come to me without any effort on my part. I really do not know where to start though. I pray for God to help with my heart because that is where my problems lie, I believe. It could be my mind, my conscience, whatever you would like to call it. But that is where it starts. If I cannot get that straight, it doesn't matter what church I go to or who is the Pastor, or what the message is. If my heart isn't right, it will be for naught in my case.

That is my reflecting for the day (or for now). I know I need to pray more. And if any that read this feel it in their hearts to say a prayer for me, it would most appreciated. I know that God hears prayers and the more people that pray for a cause, the louder it is to God.

Now that it is after 9am...time to get school started so that we can get done before 6pm today!

Copywork...in Seac??? & The Weekly Barden

Dd is enjoying her copywork. How can I tell? She is doing it not only in English but a foreign language as well. What foreign language is she learning, you might ask. Actually it is a language she made up herself. It is called Seac (pronounced Seek).

The photo I have put here is a poor one because it is from my phone. But I think that her effort to do her copywork in English and another, ahem, language is wonderful! The first lines can be seen in English, then there is Seac and then... well, I'm not entirely sure! It's another made up language! The funny thing is... I can understand Seac. She taught me :)

The other part of my post this time is about the Weekly Barden. We are working on getting this issue out on time and we now have 4 pages. I wonder as I write my little contributions to the newsletter how far they will take it. This week ds has taken a renewed interest in it and actually would have done the entire newsletter himself if dd didn't have such a problem with that. I think it absolutely wonderful that they put it together. I would like to see more, uh, substantial topics and stories but hey, I'm not pushing it! I hope that those that look at and read it enjoy it for what it is: a way to communicate with others what is on their minds.

Well, it hasn't been a particularly long day yet it feels that it has! I will be signing off now and heading to my cozy bed :) Have a wonderful night!

Homeschool Hop #7- State Req's

By Request Theme For The Week: State Requirements

In Wyoming, the requirements are very favorable to homeschoolers. I am from Oregon and the laws here are much more lax than Oregon. I am very glad to have started here! Hopefully where ever we move it will be acceptable to homeschool without harassment.

Wyoming (taken from HSLDA site at http://www.hslda.org/laws/analysis/Wyoming.pdf)

Compulsory Attendance Ages: “whose seventh birthday falls on or before September 15 of any year and who has not yet attained his sixteenth birthday or completed the tenth grade….” Wyoming Statutes § 21-4-102.

Required Days of Instruction: Wyoming Statutes § 21-4-301 – 175 days for public and private schools. (Wow, I actually thought it was 180!!)

Required Subjects: A “‘basic academic educational program’ is one that provides a sequentially progressive curriculum of fundamental instruction in reading, writing, mathematics, civics, history, literature, and science.” Wyo. Stat. § 21-4-101(a)(vi). (This means that we must submit with out intent to homeschool a list or scope & sequence of the curriculum that we intend to use.)

Home School Statute: Wyo. Stat. §§ 21-4-101,-102.

1. Parents must annually submit a curriculum to the local board of trustees showing that a “basic academic educational program” is provided. Wyo. Stat. § 21-4-102(b).

2. “These curriculum requirements do not require any private school or home-based educational program to include in its curriculum any concept, topic or practice in conflict with its religious doctrines or to exclude from its curriculum any concept, topic or practice consistent with its religious doctrines.” Wyo. Stat. § 21-4-101(a)(vi).

3. Failure to submit a curriculum showing compliance is prima facie evidence that the home-based education program does not meet the requirements of the statute. Wyo. Stat. § 21-4-102(b).

4. An instructional program provided to more than one family unit does not constitute a home-based educational program. Wyo. Stat. § 21-4-101(a)(v).

Alternative Statutes Allowing for Home Schools: Wyo. Stat. § 21-4-101(a)(iv).

If a home school is “one operated under the auspices or control of a local church or religious congregation or a denomination,” it may be regarded as a parochial, church, or religious school. Such schools are exempt from state regulation pursuant to § 21-2-406. “Nothing contained in W.S. 21-4-102(b), 21-2-401 or 21-2-406 grants to the state of Wyoming…any right or authority to control, manage, [or] supervise…any parochial, church, or religious school which meets the requirements of W.S. 21-2-406(a).”

Teacher Qualifications: None.

Standardized Tests: None.

STOP: Please DO NOT add your link below unless you have a post published about the blog hop and the current theme, and the McLinky code showing in that post. Please ensure you have linked directly to your blog hop post and that the title includes the words 'blog hop' somewhere. All links added are checked via McLinky and those without these details are removed immediately. We are all enjoying this immensely, please play fairly as the majority of blog hoppers do! Thanks for participating, have fun!

Internet at the library....SCORE!

heehee...

I have been trying to get my wireless to work at the library for awhile now because I do not want to spend $52+ a month on internet. Today, IT WORKS!!

Anyway, that's my post for...now :)

Edited later... it takes forever to get it to work at the library. I think I will have to stick with spending the money. With my classes alone I need the internet to be reliable.

Tomorrow is...Sunday!

Aaaah, just realized tomorrow is Sunday. No big deal: get up early, go to church, have no chores, spend time with family and maybe friends, go to church later, dd goes to youth group, and being offline. What!?! OFFLINE?

Lol, I just for some reason felt a sense of panic when I realized that tomorrow is Sunday, not for any of the previous mentioned reasons but that last one. Oi! It's gonna take some gettin used to!

So, see everyone on Monday :)

That time of year...Palm Sunday, Passover, Good Friday and Easter

It's that time of year again... No, not spring. Well, yes, Spring. But that's not what I mean by 'that time of year'. I am referring to Palm Sunday, Passover, Good Friday and Easter.

What I am wondering is this: How do you do those? I was raised a Jehovah's Witness (now, if any of my readers have comments against this particular group, keep it to yourself, please) and we did not celebrate this as the rest of the 'Christian' world did. Okay, by saying the rest of the 'Christian' world I am undoubtedly stepping on some toes. That is something I will just have to pass on right now. On with my post....

I am not a Jehovah's Witness and really wouldn't say that I am any particular denomination besides Christian. I attend a Baptist church but would not go so far as to say I am Baptist. I am a Christian. For the past oh, 5 years or so, I have been thinking about this time of year and what it means. I really know next to nothing. Pretty sad, I say. I personally, in my heart and mind, believe that observing the death and resurrection of Jesus is of utmost importance. It ranks right up there with celebrating his birth (without his birth, there would not have been the redeeming death...).

But how do I do it? Do I just make a special meal for dinner and say a special prayer and then go on with life as usual? I don't think that is what it is supposed to be like. I don't believe that decorating eggs, or filling plastic eggs with candy and money for children to find is the right way either.

I came across a website (and I cannot remember how I got there although I have been trying) that suggests Resurrection Eggs instead of dying eggs for Easter. (By the way, Easter is a title that has pagan roots...sometimes modern/organized Christianity is very confusing!) The website has some really good ideas and I am seriously considering this with my kids this year. Oh! I just about forgot the website: Resurrection Eggs

Another site that I came across, pertaining to Passover (which I prefer to Easter) is the Jewish Calendar. It is on about.com which often has interesting articles and information that I wonder where and how they get their information because rarely do I see citations...but anyway... Here is the Jewish Calendar which includes Passover.

I only have a few days to get this figured out but I want to know more about it, that I know!

What Old People Do for Fun...

This is great... It's from the anti boredom campaign and I am tempted to do it...heehee... the lady's laugh gets me every time!!

What Old People Do For Fun (anti boredom campaign)

Before & After

Before

After

Workin in the garden. It's a small area but it is almost more than I can handle lol. This year I will have two more of the same size across the yard but they will be the kids' gardens (translated: I will have triple the work *roll my eyes* lol). It's 44*F right now and I love the sun!! Can't wait for more of it.

d.o.n.e ... really done!

Finally! I am done done done done with classes for this term. Turned in my late paper a bit ago. I think it turned out okay but towards the end it is a little confusing. I was a little lost on how to smooth into the conclusion so it's a bit shaky at the end.

I definitely am not proud of my work this term. I will have to plan my time better next term because I want to do my best, not just good-enough. I started the term well, but somewhere in the middle or towards the end, I just lost the motivation to finish. It's a bit weird to say I lost my 'motivation' since acquiring the knowledge and earning a good grade should be my motivation. I would love to read the books without the necessity of writing about it but then, honestly, I probably wouldn't retain what I read.

Oh, I sent off one of my textbooks from the term already to a lady from paperbackswap and exchanged my credit for Animal Farm by George Orwell for next years school :) Felt good about that. Now that I am done with the other book, I have a request for it as well. Time to see what other book I want from paperbackswap... I love that site!

Teacher's Guides...Signet Classics

I was looking for books for next year (wow, I always start early!) for AO Yr6 & 8. Animal Farm by George Orwell is on Yr 6 list for literature and I actually want to read it anyway. I was searching on Paperbackswap and I did find it but it is the republish by Signet Classics, a division of Penguin (which I have issues with). Anyway, I wanted to see if Signet Classics are watered down like the Great Illustrated Classics (we started reading Oliver Twist version of GIC and blah, talk about ruining the original! okay, just my opinion!). I cannot tell, really, from the website how the books are republished (unabridged, abridged, illustrated, altered, etc.) but while I was there I found a page of teacher's guides for use with the Signet Classics books. I thought that was useful, even if I couldn't find what I originally was looking for.

Here is the link for Signet Classics Teacher's Guides. I hope that it may be of use to someone else :)

Breakfast.. Yum

Fox made his own breakfast. Ham & cheese omlette.

Lol, don't mind our catch-all table!

Weekly Barden Newsletter 9 is up...

Weekly Barden Issue 9 is ready on the "Weekly Barden" Newsletter page.

Our kitty Kawaii

Kawaii kitty!

Lego Design of the Week: Batplane

Batplane

Trying to fill some pages...

I started a new page on the blog "Links by Subject for Schooling". I thought it would be relatively easy to type up and link my bookmarks by subject (because I have them separated that way in my bookmarks). I was wrong! Sheesh, I think I have been at it for about 2 hours now and I have Curriculum, Art/Music, Bible and Foreign Language done....I still have to do Geography, English, Grammar, History, Science, Nature, etc...I think there are more but I don't have it right in front of me. Of course, I think I can group some, such as History/Geography, Science/Nature, English/Grammar and that will make it some what easier. But wow, I have accumulated so many links in the past year! And I know there are more sitting somewhere in my bookmarks collection that are not accurately stashed so I won't find them until later... There are also more that I want to add but silly me, I didn't bookmark the sites! I have been trying to find them as I am typing and linking the ones I do have. It's like that recipe or address you just know you have but can't find. Something else I just realized, I have included ones that I personally have found useful but what about the ones that another family might need that I have come across. Should I track those down too??

This may be a two day chore! I am quitting soon! Just for the night though :)

Spring time??

My wannabe garden

Out in the sun...

The sun feels wonderful!

I think I'm DONE!!

WootWoot!! I finished my final paper... oh, I cut it short (was almost 1000 words too few) but I wanted to make sure I got it in on time this time. I don't know which is worse, to have a paper that is not the best but on time or a paper that is late but really good? Either way would cost me. I know, I know, next time (every time) I should get it done really good & turn it in on time! What a concept eh?

I am glad it is over with. I missed a short essay that I was to turn in... not sure how the time got away from me.. but I have the opportunity to make it up. I will work on it tomorrow but if I do not get it done by the time hubby gets home oops, scratch that, he will be home early tomorrow... so if it's not done by the time I need to make dinner, I will count it as lost.

Next term... I can, I ought, I will. I will live up to my potential! I know I can do it...I just make poor decisions and end up not doing it.

Lol, in my defense today was an almost unbearable day... didn't even get started on finishing the paper until 10pm. Oh, it was definitely one of those days!!!

Blog Hop #6 10 Qs

It's another week of homeschooling blog hopping by Our Worldwide Classroom! This week's theme is: 10 simple questions!


1. What time is it right now? 4:35 pm

2. What are you wearing? jeans, socks, tshirt, light jacket (it's a bit chilly inside today)

3. What is your mood? trying to find my 'happy place'

4. What is one thing your children learned today? that oak bark leather is an old style leather that was used in medieval times and sometimes used today

5. What did you (or are having) for dinner? I'm not sure what is for dinner yet...

6. What's one book you are currently reading? I am not reading any books at the moment

7. What behavior (in people) is the most common but also the rudest? Lack of respect

8. What can you see out of your nearest window right now? Beautiful, warm sunlight, not a cloud in the sky

9. What are you currently praying for? Health for others, patience for myself, cleansed heart (myself and others)

10. What is your favourite hot beverage? coffee...hot or cold... is for me :)

Want to participate? Join in on the phone by answering these questions and THEN adding your name to the Mclinky! Follow other homeschool mom blogs and make a lot of new friends!

Offline Sundays...some reflections too

Our first 'offline Sunday' was yesterday. Even I was offline. I did watch a little tv with hubby... He doesn't follow my rules :) lol

For most of Sunday we didn't do anything really. We went on our ski trip Friday and Saturday (came back Saturday night). I was so sore that I could hardly get out of bed on Sunday morning! That either means that I played hard or I am terribly out of shape. Or maybe a bit of both :) It was great fun! I can't wait to do it again!

The kids told me that officially Sunday is their least favorite day of the week now. Sigh. They are so...difficult...sometimes. They will have to get used to it because we are going to do it every Sunday. No web, no Wii, no computer, no tv. They were able to listen to the radio (we don't listen to it often because it annoys me). I was told I was mean and unfair (how does playing the Wii make things fair??). Oh well...that's part of my job description; just like tickling them and making goofy faces to make them smile. It's a package deal.

Ds (and dd as well but not to the same extent) has a problem with being able to focus on the good things he has in his life. He started complaining how everything was horrible...I told him to count his blessings, right then, count them... He came up with one thing: he was able to go to a friends house. Wow. I reminded him that he is alive, he has clothes, a house, toys, food, etc. How can he not see those things? In this day and age, everything must be provided for him; instant entertainment, constant entertainment. How can he not enjoy the little things he has? Am I that way as well?? That makes me sad to think that I may be that way and hadn't realized it.

Sunday morning, because I could hardly move, I didn't get out of bed until way late. Hubby was getting ready for church but I felt the need for some discussion time (oh, he doesn't like that!) and he ended up not being able to go either. I feel that God will forgive us because we were working on things that needed to be worked on. Marriage and family are God's institutions and they need to be checked every so often to make sure they are in line with His guidelines; ours is a bit out of whack lately. Although our 'discussion times' often are stressful and sometimes they border on being an argument (heated discussion?), I feel that they are important because the things that each of us are holding in/back are let out. We try very hard not to say things we will regret...think before we speak...and I think we do alright. It is still stressful.

Later when we were getting ready for evening church, I felt the need to talk about what has been in my heart lately. For some reason, although I love the church I attend, I am feeling that it isn't where we belong. It is hard to explain and I have been praying. We will continue to attend until God directs us elsewhere. Hubby told me that he also has been having the same feeling but he doesn't know the 'how's and why's' yet so he hasn't changed anything. I have been praying a lot.

All that in one day. Wow, when I put it down in writing it seems like a lot, and so little.

How easy it would be...or would it?

I have thought, more than once, that I should just put the kids back in school. It's a thought that keeps going through my mind lately, more and more. But why do I do I even entertain the idea? Because it is difficult homeschooling; it is difficult making sure that the kids learn what others think they should know; it is difficult being with them all day long. They 'miss' opportunities that they could have in ps. Like what? Band, theater, sports? Where we live they can participate with the ps in these but when I try to get a commitment from either child if they would like to or not, well, it is undecided. I can't protect my dc all the time, and sometimes I wonder if that is my biggest reason for keeping them home? Do I just want to make sure that they do not grow up to fast, at the world's pace? Sigh, sometimes it's just hard. Because I have doubts.

There is a family that recently decided to put their girls back into ps. This was their first year homeschooling. The mother and I had even talked about getting a homeschool co-op going in our town. I sent emails, tried to talk to her at her work, and always got, "I'll call you." They didn't make it the entire year. What was the reason? I know that the mother is a single mother and she has to work full time to provide for her and her family. She was relying on her mother for help in homeschooling the girls, namely making sure they got their work done. I guess her mother has taken ill and can no longer do that. I had offered my help and received no reply.

I really don't even know why I brought up her family. Perhaps because she seemed to have it together and things were going well with her and the girls homeschooling and then...they are going back to ps. She had started homeschooling because the ps her girls attended was not satisfactory. Now they will be going to the schools in the town I live in, the town she works in. Those are the schools my kids left.

I know that homeschooling isn't for every family. Some just are not suited to homeschool. Sometimes there are circumstances that happen and prevent homeschooling. I understand that.

So why do I have the thoughts about putting mine back in ps? I don't know. There is no reason that I cannot homeschool. I am a stay at home mom, we have all that we need (learning-wise), we do not have others that we have to rely on to continue schooling. My dc really are not sports oriented anyway and as much as I had wanted them to, I really do not think they would have pursued a musical path either. Dd does like acting, however...

I think I just needed to put this all down so that I know, I am not sending them to public school. I don't need to and I really don't think they want to go. We are different from the family I mentioned before (they enjoy sports and the atmosphere at the public schools, even if they don't like the nasty stuff that goes with it). We are different from every other family. All families are different. But I just have doubts... I need to just let them go!

Music-based teaching and prepared dictation

I love getting email, just as much if not more than getting snail mail. I get way more email than snail mail though :) Today in my inbox I had an email from Kathy Shrock (great resources!) about music teaching...not teaching music. The site that she linked has a ton of quirky songs that teach about different subjects and topics. For example, my kids listened to Atomic Brother, Corn to Ethanol Using Enzymes, Afraid of the Dark, and we started with 200 Meters Down. Great stuff! There are some videos for some of the songs (I think my kids liked that the most) but also there are just audio clips, as well as pdf of the lyrics. I am definitely bookmarking this site! It is called Science (and more) to Music. As far as I can see, the site has mostly songs for upper grades (higher elementary and up). Hope you find something you can use!

Prepared dictation is the other bit for my post. I had no idea what it was. I am new to all this CM style education, but I am trying to learn! What caught my eye this time was because the email had the subject line of Homeschool Spelling the Charlotte Mason Way. Both of my dc are not that great at spelling but honestly, I detest lists of 10-20 spelling words to test on. They and I find it to be extremely boring. But if there are words that come from a book that is interesting, the topic is something that they enjoy (oh, I know, school can't always be fun...that's why there's math! jk) it will be easier to do. I also get emails from Simply Charlotte Mason. Another great resource! The one I want to share today is Sonya Shafer explains Prepared Dictation video on Youtube.com If you look to the right of the video, there are a lot of other helpful videos as well.

Okay, I am off of here to get my final paper done for my last class (yay!!). Have a great day!

Finally done with ONE class!

I finished my final project for my sociology class just 10 minutes ago (sadly it was 2 days late- yes, yes, bad bad). I am not going to even look at that book/class again until the time comes for seeing my grade...and actually I may just pretend I got an A heehee... Not really, I am thinking that I earned about a C. It wasn't a difficult class, perse, but I did not like it. I had a difficult time coming up with what my instructor wanted (figuring out what she wanted was the most difficult).

Now, must finish up my other class and be done for two sweet, glorious, wonderful weeks...ah, it relaxes me just thinking about it!

Timelines... How to make them??

I have heard of using timelines in many homeschools and I admit that I was very interested...about 2 months ago. I tried to figure out how to make one on my own; no how-to, no guidelines, did no research. That didn't last long! I used 10 sheets of regular printer paper and glued the edges together so that it made one long rectangle. And that's where I stopped! There was a site that I was going to use for a guideline on what dates to include but since I made my timeline paper, the website is no longer available.

So in my e-mailbox this morning I get an email from Knowledge Quest (I had signed up for their nifty email when I discovered some free blackline maps from them). The subject was "Blossom, how do you choose a timeline format?" What timing! Just a couple days ago I had brought out my timeline paper and lightly used a pencil to draw the line that I thought would be my timeline. But then I didn't know how much space to have for how many years!

Terri Johnson at Knowledge Quest has a wonderful how-to on How to Make a Timeline Easily. So if you are like me (or even if you are not and you are just getting into the idea of timelining and doing your research now) this is extremely helpful! Knowledge Quest does have premade timelines that you could purchase as well as timeline figures drawn by Amy Pak.

Now that we have some guidelines (not rules thankfully! those get broken) to follow I think we will be more inclined to use our timeline. I can picture it in my head covered with my children's handwriting about places and people that we have studied. Each of those marks on the timeline I hope will be something that they remember fondly- either for the memories made with posting on the timeline or about when/what they learned.

The Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle....on Youtube.com!

I found this video thanks to a friend on Facebook. My kids loved Eric Carle...perhaps they still do... and the Hungry Caterpillar may have been the first book by Carle that they read/saw.

This video is so cute! No matter what age, I think you'll like it...

The Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle... on Youtube.com Enjoy!!

Weekly Barden Issue 8 is ready....& Our ski trip...

Over at "Weekly Barden" Newsletter page, I just uploaded the newest issue. This one is 3 pages! It is great, too. The kids really did swell! Hope you enjoy it!

The other thing I was going to post about is our FIRST EVER ski trip! We are going thanks to Wyoming First United Presbyterian Church in Torrington. Lee attends the Presbyterian Youth Connection there. Fox will be attending next year (if all goes well!). We have gotten to go to a Casting Crowns concert also, thanks to this wonderful group. Unfortunately, dear hubby won't be able to get off work in time to go :( But I am hoping that we have an enjoyable time! We (kids & I) have never been skiing before! We all get free lessons :)

We are going to be leaving town about 1 pm on the 12th, heading to Laramie, WY, where we will check into the hotel. There is going to be an awesome swimming pool that we get to use for the time we are there :) On the 13th we are going to head up to the ski resort to tackle the mountain! Or, I am thinking will more likely be the case, the mountain will tackle us. Then we leave on the 14th for home.

I'm slightly nervous, to be honest! I am a bit clumsy even when walking and I am a wee bit (*Shhh, all you that know me*) out of shape. I am sure it'll be fun :)

Fox's Lego Design of the Week...

Fox's Lego Design of the Week... Two-Face's Armored truck.

Basil Pan Burgers... It's what's 4 dinner!

1 egg slightly beaten

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons fine dry bread crumbs

2 tablespoons snipped fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried crushed basil

2 tablespoons ketchup

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 clove garlic (or 1 teaspoon powder?)

1 pound lean ground meat

These are so delicious and quick*! I use Parmesan cheese topping that you would sprinkle on spaghetti. I don't have fresh basil but do have some that I dried myself (so yummy!). I also do not have fresh garlic so I use powder but honestly, I have not measured how much I use! Oh, and we use turkey for the meat.

1. In a medium bowl combine egg, onion, Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, basil, ketchup, salt, pepper, and garlic. Add meat and mix well. Shape into four 3/4-inch-thick patties.

2. Preheat skillet over medium heat until hot. Add patties. Reduce heat to medium and cook each side for approximately 6 minutes. To check for doneness use a thermometer; temperature should be 160F or more.

Easy! We don't usually use buns here but occasionally we will just use regular bread. We put sliced cheese on top and perhaps a dollop of mustard (or ketchup...or ds likes bbq sauce) and eat it with a fork. Es muy delicioso! (LOL, aka: It is very delicious!)

*The original recipe is ever-so-slightly different.

Better Homes & Gardens. (2006). New Cook Book. Basil Pan Burgers (pp. 378).

Before I forget...because it does happen sometimes :)

Math playground. Great free resource for math. Unfortunately, when I looked around I didn't see anything higher than 6th grade...unless I just missed it.

And a Yahoo! Group that is for home school supplies/books that is similar to FreeCycle. HSEduFreeMarket.... Check it out! You do have to join the group (which requires approval) but I think that is just totally awesome! I have been looking for this for awhile.

Oh, while I am on the subject of exchanging books for the price of postage, check out Paperbackswap if you haven't already. Great site that has saved me personally over $150!

Swap Your Used Books - PaperBackSwap.com

Figured it out!

I figured out how to post the Weekly Barden (the newsletter that Fox & Lee write) to the blog!

You will find it under the "Weekly Barden" Newsletter under the blog title. Or click here. Just a bit of a warning...I wrote the entire newsletter this week...it is better when they do it!

Another bread pic...from my phone.

Yum! My camera is not cooperating so heres another pic from my phone. The quality is not the best!

Why I love to homeschool...

I could list, literally, a hundred reasons why I love to homeschool but I will give just one at the moment:

I love to learn along with my children. The expressions they have when they read, and understand, a concept or a happening from history, is beautiful. Just think that if they were in public school, a teacher would see their face (or sadly, would most likely miss it). I love that we can cuddle up on the couch and read these things together. I just love it!

Whole wheat bread using the food processor...

My whole wheat bread. I totally spaced any other pics!

I'm going to make some bread...

For Christmas, my wonderful adoring husband got me a Cuisinart 14 cup Food Processor. I have only actually used it a couple times since then. I am just so used to doing things the 'hard' way. Linda posted a recipe for basic wheat bread on her blog Thursday (wow, that was just yesterday) and I wanted to make it then but discovered it later in the day and didn't feel I had enough time. Well, I sure do today. But I wanted to make it a little easier on myself. She (Linda) has a bread machine (I used to not like those things but you know, I might be seeing the benefits...) that she mixes her dough with. She bakes it in the oven however. I decided that I would see if I can't make my dough in the food processor. It's sitting on my counter, all lonely like...okay, so they don't get lonely but I can imagine since it's been neglected lol. I remembered when I got the food processor that there was a bread recipe in the booklet that came with it. Of course, that was months ago and I had to find what I did with it. I found it, along with the instructional dvd. The recipe is for focaccia bread, not regular bread. I like focaccia, but I want to make a, uh, real loaf of bread.

I went digging online and came to a nice page of results on Google. I honestly love videos that are how-to but whatever... I clicked on a few then on found one here. She mills her wheat and all! I'm not going that far but I liked the way she includes pictures of each step (and tells of her 'mistakes') along the way.

I am confident now that I can make my dough in the wonderful food processor that I have. I will try to post pictures later of my ordeal progress and finished loaf later.

Bad Mommy! That is me...

It's funny. Most mothers don't want you to know that they yell at their children. Most mothers don't want you to know that there are times they want to hide in the closet until their children get tired of looking -or fall asleep. Most mothers don't want you to know that they do not always feed their children something nutritious at each meal- sometimes McDonald's or Burger King is lunch and dinner -two days in a row. Most mothers don't want you to know that they do not have it all together. Most mothers.

I am honest for the most part when it comes to talking about my life and the things that I do. I do not always tell exactly what I am feeling when things happen. Nor do I always tell what I am thinking when things aren't going so well. And of course, there are times I will leave out certain behaviors -of myself or my children- that would give the impression that I am having problems. That is because I have never wanted to be that Bad Mommy.

I discovered something though. Actually, I think I truly just realized it today and I have been a mother for 13 1/2 years! I realized that all mothers are bad mothers- at least once in their mommyhood. It is the way it is. I think it would be good for all mothers-to-be and mothers to realize this as well. It would save a lot of heartache.

There are times when we are not going to have the answers; we are not going to say the right thing; we are not going to react in the best way. There are so many times when we are going to feel that we do not have it under control and we want to cry along with our children when they throw their temper tantrums.

I was reading over at We Are THAT Family about different things because I enjoy seeing what others are doing. I look for advice, great ideas, things not to do, and just what is going on in the lives of others. I admit I am on the computer (internet) way more than some people would like me to be but I enjoy getting 'together' with others. I live in a small-ish town and do not know but a handful of people. We don't hang out, we don't really socialize much outside of church happenings. I enjoy socializing with others who have something (no matter how little or how much) in common with me. Or even if I would like to have something in common.

Initially I was reading about Kristen's trip to Nairobi with Compassion Bloggers. I almost cried reading her experiences, watching the short video clips and looking at that first photo. I am so happy that God has angels on the Earth. So many people do not have even a portion as much as many of us do. It fills my heart with extreme gladness to read about her experience.

So reading that about Kristen made me curious as to who 'she' is. I clicked on 'about' from the home page on her blog. And that is where I came to realize that we are all a Bad Mommy sometimes. Now, please don't think that I am saying that I think Kristen is a bad mom! Definitely not! I did not see anything out of the ordinary (lol is that funny? since her blog is called 'We Are THAT Family'- you know the ones) for me to say that she is. I'm also not saying that every mother is a bad mother all the time. I am not even saying that being a bad mommy is that bad.

Well, now that that is all clear as mud.... I just found her post 'about' to be so comforting. Kristen makes mention of when she reads of 'heroic mothers' and how that makes her feel normal. Reading others' blogs makes me feel that I am not so bad. Yeah, I am the mother that wants to hide in the closet. Sometimes I just do not have it together. But it is okay. I am okay. We are okay.

Some links...

I was going through the comments that have been posted on my blog and decided to visit others' blogs as well. I don't remember exactly what blog I found the link for the other blog (it's a big circle anyway :) but I found Free Homeschooling 101 which took me to HippoCampus. I have come across a lot of freebie sites (Khan Academy, CIMT math, AO, AOE, SAS, etc) but I thought I would share these two 'new-to-me' sites because I think they are really great. On Free Homeschooling 101 there are tons of links and resources for homeschooling 'free'. I love the way that they describe 'free' homeschooling as well; free- as in, relaxed and in monetary terms.

Anyway, Fox wants to use the computer to do his Spanish lessons (Byki) so I will get off of here and let him have it... :)

Living Books... what are they really?

When I was first starting college (oh that was a while ago..) and majoring in Early Childhood Education, I had to take a foundations in teaching course that examined the different teaching philosophies such as Pigiet, Dewey, Montessori, Bloom, Mason, and more. I vaguely recall what I learned about any of these philosophies. When I started to look into homeschooling (long before I went to college), I didn't think of philosophies. Now, my children are older and I am majoring in history not education (yes, I still am in college), but I homeschool. I found Charlotte Mason again.

We didn't start our homeschooling with the CM philosophy but after reading and reading about it, it is such a wonderful way to learn. We are slowly (but moving faster as we go) implementing CM into our learning (and our lives).

There are so many references to Living Books in the CM philosophy. Many people think that if it is an old book it is a living book...but not so, I say. Fortunately, no one has asked me what a living book is because I don't think I could have told them. I think my response would have been, "well, I don't know how to explain it."

I was blog hopping today (because there are just such interesting things out there!) and came across a post over at Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers for Homeschool Library Builder. There are a few more books that I would really like to purchase for our homeschool. I have been to HLB before but didn't really look around. This time I decided to check it out more (they didn't have the book I was looking for, that's why lol). If you click About Homeschooling on the homepage at HLB, you will see Great Books: An open letter about Living Books. If you click on the Living Books link you will be taken to a letter written by Diane McKee -- Founder of Homeschool Library Builder.

This says it better than I think I could have. But now, if someone asks, I think I will be better prepared to give an answer :)